QM

Long before I quilted, I knitted. As some point my SiL counted 42 sweaters I'd made my nephew. He got a big kick out of them. One time, when I was about 17 or 18, he was maybe 3, I took him to the yarn departments of a large department store. I told him to decide what he wanted. He spent about 20 minutes looking at the yarns and the samples before he came to a decision. "I want this color for the main part, a zipper front, pockets, a yoke like that (Scandinavian type), a high neck, with these other colors." We picked up the yarns and handed them to Nana who was paying for the yarn. As we walked around the edge of the aisle, one lady said to her friend, "I would NEVER let a child talk to me like that!"

My Mom and I giggled all the way to the cash register. As a child psychologist, she was certain that making choices was important to develop taste and a sense of self-worth. I note that my nephew is a very confident and successful adult with definitely individual tastes, shared with his lovely lady.

I just read a posting where another quilter made a fine quilt with the child's choice of fabrics. It's the same thing, IMHO.

BETTY62

I think it's good to give kids a choice as making choices are a fact of life. The sooner they learn to make choices, the better choices they will make later in life.

QM

I absolutely agree!

NancyG

I think it is really important to let kids make choices. My daughter runs a day care/preschool and this is what she teaches the kids. This wasn't so in my day raising my kids, but it seems to build more confidence, self-esteem, etc. in kids. Some changes are good!!

piepatch

Good for you! Your nephew sounds like he was a decisive kid who grew into a solid citizen adult......with your help!

sandyo

Making choices is great. Too many parents let the kids make choices that they are not ready to make like what time to go to bed and safety choices, I see it way to often.

ssgramma

Absolutely! I "made" DGD pick the fabric for her laptop cover!

Sienna's GiGi

I didn't see anything wrong with the way your nephew was interacting with you. He's the one wearing the sweater. Its good to know that he went on to make more good choices in life.

grayma

My two grandsons picked out the fabric, helped plan the quilt and actually did some of the sewing on the paper pieces (their names and the year the quilt was made). They have great pride in the quilts they cover with.

ckcowl

my youngest granddaughter started her fabric stash when she was about 3----every single time my daughter walked into any store that sold fabric she was (resigned) to purchase at least a fat quarter---because that child would throw quite a fit if she didn't get one- she had very...distinct tastes.
and by the time she was 4 she had herself quite a box of fabrics.
the girls have always been allowed to (play) in my fabrics- and if they want to use anything it is ok
one day when they were not around i needed a small piece of something i knew was in that little girls box----i helped myself---boy, did i ever hear about it when she came in and saw HER fabric in my block----that i did not wait and ask for!
she is almost 11 now- and still quite a (textile- lover)
she has made 4 or 5 quilts--her daddy is in the military and everytime he gets deployed she makes him a new quilt from her-so he won't forget her while he's gone
she knows what she likes- and is quite (set in her ways) and oh so cute! :)